Chapter 53 Heart-to-Heart Q&A

Among the students participating in the upcoming assessments, some issued calm commands, some offered endless instructions before entering the arena, and some flew into rages and roared during the tests.

"Forget it, just go! If you run away again, I'm going to beat you when we get back!"

On the high platform, a student with a fierce expression roared at the pangolin down below.

"Squeak—"

Simultaneously terrorized by the phantom rat and threatened by the command, the pangolin fell into a state of panic, torn between choices. Ultimately, however, it likely concluded that the student above was the far more terrifying entity. With great difficulty, it turned around, pressed its back against the wall, and faced the incoming phantom rats with low hisses and growls.

"That's right, just like that. What is there to be afraid of when you're covered in scales?" The boy above instantly felt much more at ease.

The battle began. Just as the boy had said, although the phantom rats snapped and tore furiously, they were completely unable to inflict any effective damage on the scale-clad pangolin. After several rounds of struggle, the pangolin gradually forgot its fear, and amidst the biting and clawing, it successfully killed both phantom rats.

"Sally, passed!"

As the staff member announced the judgment, the students below broke into animated discussions.

"Is that even allowed? Using intimidation and threats—wasn't this supposed to be about 'bonds'?"

"Exactly, the tone that guy used just now was way too scary." A female student offered a similar evaluation.

Hearing these discussions, the boy picked up the pangolin that had just performed, placed it on his shoulder, and retorted,

"What do you people know! In a critical moment, there’s no time to sit around crying and offering polite advice. What you need is absolute obedience to your commands!"

"As long as you win, the rewards will naturally follow, and I won't mistreat it. Hmph."

With that, he proudly scooped up his 'companion' and left the arena.

The assessment placed no restrictions on the methods used, and everyone had their own differing interpretations of the so-called 'bond,' showcasing their unique skills and ingenuity. Some relied on mutual trust to help their 'partners' overcome fear; others depended on threats and intimidation to force their 'partners' to execute commands; while still others thoroughly understood their 'partners'' abilities, utilizing them to easily secure victory.

Faced with the difficult assessment, the students had no choice but to make their own choices.

This round ultimately eliminated about 60 percent of the candidates, leaving fewer than one-third of the original number.

"All the dead weight has been cleared out; we need to be much more rigorous and focused for the final two stages." Leaning against the office window, the student chief, dressed in a black and red uniform, shifted her gaze away from the projection screen on the desk.

"How many people are left now?" she asked, prompting the other two remaining in the room to check the records.

"A total of 376 people passed the second round, and there are still 207 who haven't reported to the school yet."

"This year's enrollment quota is 318 students. Excluding the 38 reserved for special channels, that leaves only 280 regular enrollment spots. Considering the students who haven't arrived yet, we still need to weed out another third of the candidates."

"Actually, the students who can pass the second round are already quite decent. Even if they aren't exceptionally talented, they at least aren't overly mediocre. After all, only those with stellar theoretical scores were even eligible to participate in the re-examinations," another short-haired boy chimed in.

"The third round is designed by the teachers, I wonder how that's proceeding right now."

With that, one of them looked out the window into the distance. On the verdant hills, white stone chairs were scattered across the landscape, and teachers dressed in brown formal attire were conversing with the re-examination candidates.

"Good afternoon, you must be Haxia."

A male teacher wearing glasses and carrying a clipboard walked over. He wore a brown fedora that matched the color of his formal attire, making it immediately obvious to anyone that he was a member of the academy's faculty.

"Hello." The young girl nodded in unison with the small snake she was holding.

"Don't worry, there's no need to be too nervous. I'm just here to have a simple chat with you to avoid any misunderstandings. This won't eliminate students, and it won't even be graded," he said, flashing a smile that helped alleviate some of her tension.

"Although our academy's core philosophy is 'bonds,' not everyone is suited to walk this path. Some geniuses are destined to be solitary, and forcing them to integrate into a collective will only bring them misery."

"Considering this lose-lose scenario, it is necessary for us to remind candidates participating in the re-examinations that if you feel you dislike this style, you don't need to doubt your own abilities and aspirations."

"Everyone is unique. If you were to distort yourself simply to win the approval of others, that would be far too painful."

"Now that you know our purpose, let me ask you a few questions, Haxia."

"Okay."

"What kind of people do you dislike?" The very first question plunged the young girl into deep thought.

Asking about preferences was practically standard, but she rarely encountered anyone in daily life asking what kind of things she hated.

"I hate self-righteous people who impose their own narrow-minded views on others."

"I see."

From an angle hidden from the girl, the teacher's pen tip casually jotted down: *Hates fools.*

"What kind of environment does Haxia like to stay in? Or rather, what kind of environment makes you feel comfortable?"

"I like relatively quiet environments, probably libraries and classrooms where I can see the sunset."

"I understand..."

The teacher's pen tip continued to move, recording the attribute: *Literary maiden.*

"What kind of boys does Haxia think are handsome?"

"I don't seem to have a particular feeling about that." The girl shook her head.

"Hmm." The teacher continued recording the attribute: *Aloof.*

"What kind of person does Haxia think she will become in the future?"

"I don't know." The girl shook her head.

"Mm-hmm." The teacher continued recording the attribute: *Prudent.*

"What kind of food does Haxia like?"

"I like chiffon cake, green oranges, watermelon, delicious rice, roasted fish, small hot pots, wontons, pan-seared steaks..." The girl thought carefully and listed quite a few items.

"I see." The teacher continued recording the attributes: *Foodie, Down-to-earth.*

"Can you make these? Could you introduce them to me?"

"Yes, I can. For instance, a chiffon cake is..."

As he listened, the teacher quietly erased *Foodie* and replaced it with *Skilled in daily life* and *Proactive*.

"If you were assigned a dormitory, where would you choose to live? Our dormitories here are divided into five types: the Ring-Bird Wind Tower, the Forest Treehouse, the Purple Mansion, the Lakeside Boathouse, and the Wisteria Courtyard. Each type of dorm offers different perks."

"For example, students in the Ring-Bird Wind Tower receive a complimentary book and a colored feather sent by the academy every month. Students in the Forest Treehouse receive five portions of T4-grade fruits and seeds monthly. Although students in the Purple Mansion receive no monthly yield, at the end of the academic year, they can select a 'Dark Silver-grade' transcendent weapon along with extra academic credits. Students in the Lakeside Boathouse receive three Flowing Moon Gems and a 'Tricolor Sturgeon' every month—a high-end T4-grade ingredient. As for the Wisteria Courtyard, it provides students with a pot of fresh flowers every month, along with a bottle of 'Verdant Extract Potion,' which is immensely beneficial for condensing magic power."

After listening to the teacher's description, the young girl fell into deep contemplation. Every option seemed wonderful and tempting, but ultimately, she could only choose one.

"Then I'll take the 'Ring-Bird Wind Tower,'" Haxia decided after a moment.

"Why is that? Judging by your earlier answers, you seem to love good food."

The young girl tilted her head slightly and blinked. "You can eat good food anytime, but reading books is very important. Besides, I've always lived in a gloomy underground city; if possible, I hope to be closer to the sky in the future."

"I understand." The teacher closed his clipboard.

"This is the assessment location for the final round. There's no rush yet, though—it won't open until 2:00 PM. You can go get something to eat."

"Until later, Haxia. I wish you success in getting what you desire." He bowed to express his gratitude to Haxia and then departed.